MS is a very elegant little rifle.
Personally I'd put any high-quality break action single shot stalking rifle that is not over-ornamented at the top of my list of rifle pulchritude. The English and Scottish seem more restrained in their approach to ornamentation, but I've seen German, Austrian, and Belgian guns that I would gladly accept.... For a FACTORY rifle, I'd probably want a mid-1930s Merkel or J.P. Sauer, make it a 6.35x52R or a 7x65R.
To me, near-perfect fit, finish, and form of the metal and stock trumps anything you can do afterwards, like stock carving, inlays, and scratching.
Checkering needs to be just enough to accentuate gripping (see MS above).
I DO like inclusion of a LITTLE of the intended prey in the rifle, such as a horn forend tip or a perfect, simple engraving of an appropriate animal. "Effective symbolism is the antithesis of complexity." To put it differently, you don't use a symphony orchestra to call an elk.
Last edited by Mike A.; 11/16/15 10:03 PM.
